Maybe Memories
by Nocturnal Introvert
Summary: Robbie V. never really felt like he fit in living in a sleepy little town like Gravity Falls. That is, until he met Tambry. But when his new friend invites him to her birthday party, Robbie has to face meeting other kids from his school... And that's how he meets a certain lanky pre-teen with fire red hair and a braces filled grin.
1. Chapter 1: Fears and Introductions

Robbie V didn't generally consider himself easily scared; but at the moment not only was he scared, but he knew that the reason was probably completely unjustified. All he was doing was standing in front of his best friend's house holding a brightly colored gift bag, yet he was sweating like an accused criminal.

For a moment he wasn't sure why he was so nervous. Robbie took a deep breath and took a few steps toward the porch. And of course, just then, he remembered his fear. Interaction with other kids from his school.

No one in his grade other than Tambry so much as talked to Robbie. It didn't help that he was so shy and silent. But he didn't accredit his lack of friends to his introverted nature. He thought no one liked him because he was new to the town and they thought he was weird. In his mind, there were so many things to pick on; his clothes and appearance, for one. Not to mention that he now lived with his grandparents who tried their best to completely spoil him and smother him with affection. How could you seem cool when your grandmother still called you RobbieBear in front of your peers? He wasn't used to all these new people and new things. Robbie felt so out of place around the other kids in this town, who all seemed to know their place. Everyone besides Tambry, anyway.

Tambry herself was the type to flutter around social circles, silently listening to the childish pre-middle school gossip, which she later would spread via social media. She barely ever looked up from her DS for a minute, but one day she happened to look up long enough to see Robbie sitting alone at lunch, and within seconds she was sitting beside him, silently playing Animal Crossing. Her presence had been a bit strange at first, but as it reoccured over a series of days, which became weeks and eventually months, it was comforting and reassuring. Robbie no longer felt quite so out of place. Even though at the time they barely knew each other's names, he felt like he had a friend.

Now the months had gone by and they'd gotten to know each other, down to favorite colors, the faces they made when they heard something they didn't like, who they mained as while playing Smash Bros on Tambry's Wii, and many other general friend facts. Yet, when she'd given him the invitation to her party, Robbie had instantly thought of every excuse not to come.

It wasn't like he was necessarily afraid of the other kids. He was afraid of rejection. Back in his hometown he'd been an outcast, not by choice, but because the kids at home picked on his long curly brown hair and the fact that his clothes were always too small.

Now that he was in Oregon, and not living with his drug addict of a mother, he had a better haircut, any clothes he wanted, and a family that loved him and took good care of him, making sure he wanted for nothing. Yet, something in his mind still made him think he didn't have enough to be friends with people who actually... You know, were cool. Not that he didn't think Tambry was a cool person, but, to be honest, she had a lot of acquaintances and not too many friends.

As Robbie was thinking all this, he heard a car pull up behind him. Nervously, he finally made his way onto the porch, but not before glancing back and seeing a kid he knew from class, and an unfamiliar girl who looked... A bit odd.

"Thanks for the ride!" The girl said with a braces filled grin as she slammed the car door behind herself.

These two kids had no problem making their way to the porch with their presents, and only when they were beside him did Robbie notice he was still standing there staring.

"You gonna go in there or what?" The girl asked, bringing him out of his own little world.

"Uhh..." He stammered, feeling his face heat up with embarrassment.

The girl laughed, but it wasn't cruel or teasingly, it was just... A laugh. Robbie had never heard anything like it before. It was like... They had become friends just by him doing something awkward and now she was just happy because of him? He didn't know for sure.

"You're Robert, right?" The other kid asked. "I don't know if we've met really but hey, I'm Nate. I think we have reading class together."

"And I'm Wendy, nice to meet you Rob." The girl chimed in. Before he could reply, she had already swung open the door and ran inside, her fire red ponytails trailing behind her.

Nate shrugged and followed her inside at a more laid back pace, holding the door open for Robbie on his way in.

"How come I've never seen her before?" Robbie asked.

Nate looked confused for a moment. "Oh, Wendy? Well, she is only in fourth grade...so I guess you've just never run into her before."

"Then how do you know her?"

The other boy smiled. "My friend Lee is in her class. He failed fourth grade last year 'cause he refused to read out loud." He shook his head. "Hey, can I ask you something? Do you like just kinda hanging out in entry ways or are you actually going to come into the house sometime?"

With that, Robbie quickly followed in the direction of the redhead, Wendy, hoping to find Tambry as soon as possible.


	2. Chapter 2: Appearances

As the trio entered the house the heard the sound of laughter coming from not too far away. Wendy took off her shoes and started to walk towards the kitchen, but it was obvious that none of them really had any idea where to go.

Eventually they saw Tambry turn around a corner, her face lighting up when she saw them.

"Robbie, what took you so long? I thought you were going to help me set up." Tambry groaned, grabbing Robbie by the arm as soon as she caught sight of him. She began dragging him through her house, her mother's "Home Sweet Home" decorations and tan and white walls going by in a blurr.

Robbie flinched in surprise and opened his mouth to reply, but Tambry didn't give him enough time to even get a word out.

She glanced at him over her shoulder and noticed there were others tagging along. "Have you already met these two?" She nodded towards Nate and Wendy pointedly.

Wendy grinned in response, answering for him. "Yeah, we said hi to 'im. He's kinda weird but not that bad." She said with a shrug.

Robbie stared at her incredulously, still being dragged by Tambry.

"See, not so bad, right?" Tambry said, seeming smug. "I knew you'd make friends."

Robbie wasn't pleased that she'd brought up the topic of him being antisocial. Honestly, it embarrassed him. He already felt like everyone else was better than him, and now he felt that even more. He felt his face flush bright red, and, instinctively, he looked toward Wendy and Nate to try to read their expressions. Sadly, they looked just as they always did, Nate with a slight smirk, not ecstatic, but not sad, just mildly amused; and Wendy with a bright, wire-filled grin, her eyes alight. He couldn't tell if they'd even heard what Tambry said, but he didn't feel any more at ease.

While Robbie was still staring at the two newcomers, Tambry stopped suddenly, causing him to run into her and break from his aloofness. They were in front of a door, behind which was a flight of stairs. Robbie smiled a bit, knowing they lead to the basement they had affectionately dubbed their 'secret hideout'.

Having this connection with someone made him feel somehow superior to the others. Having Tambry as a best friend, and knowing his way around her house just made him feel somehow at home and welcome. He wondered if the other two knew Tambry as well as he did.

"C'mon you guys, we're all downstairs playing games." Tambry said quickly, ushering them toward the stairs.

"Sweet!" Wendy cheered, her face lit up in a way that reminded Robbie of an intense sugar high he'd had back in the second grade.

Every time she spoke Robbie couldn't help but find himself gawking at her wildly long legs, her freckles that made her face look dirty, and her messy straw-like hair. Her appearance was all sorts of awkward, but her personality just screamed some sort of warmth that drew him to her. Unlike Nate, who just seemed rather passive, she seemed really happy all the time. Robbie wished he felt the way she did. There was no way she had any sort of social anxiety like he did.

Robbie was in his own little world staring at her, but Wendy paid no mind, she was too busy basically jumping down the stairs to the basement, Nate following close behind.

Eventually Robbie shook himself out of it, blinking the impression of Wendy that was burned into his eyelids out of his sight. When he came to, he noticed Tambry glaring at him and tapping her foot.

"Robert." She said through clenched teeth.

Robbie had never seen her so irritated before. "What?" He asked, his eyebrows raised in shock and confusion.

"Would you stop acting weird, please. I know you're shy but you don't have to stare at people!" Tambry snapped, pushing him down the stairs. "I mean, I'm sorry, but if you want to make friends you need to just...be normal. Be yourself. People will love you how you are, I promise."

Robbie found himself blushing again. "I didn't mean to stare at them, I swear. Just...what is up with that redhead?" He asked.

Tambry shot him a look. "Wendy? What about her?"

"S-she...she's just….weird!" The boy stuttered, not knowing how to voice his thoughts. "She's got this weird look to her, yet her personality is kinda different, you know?"

His friend considered this for a moment before shrugging. "I guess I don't really know what you mean, but...I kinda see where you're coming from. She looks sort of like she'd be tough but she's super cheerful. If that's what you're saying."

Robbie nodded enthusiastically, glad she knew what he meant. "Exactly! Just...it's really odd to me is all. I promise it's nothing that weird." He sighed, finally calming himself down from the nervousness of meeting new people. "I guess I've just never met anyone that happy before."

"I get it, V." Tambry nodded. "Just...please try to enjoy, okay? It's my birthday and I wanna see my best friend happy."

Robbie smiled and hugged her briefly. "I know. Happy birthday, Tambry. I'll try my best to make it a good one."

"Thank you...Now, let's go down there and meet some more people, okay?"


End file.
